Tropical ocean interacts with the atmosphere to produce variations at multiple timescales, and these variations affect global climate profoundly through both ocean and atmosphere teleconnections. The elevation of greenhouse gases and other climate forcing agents by human activities influence important tropical ocean circulation and climate processes. There is a pressing need to synthesize our knowledge of tropical ocean and climate dynamics and their impacts on the climate of the past, present and future, in order to advance the science and improve our ability to predict their variability and future changes.